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Eating a moderate to high amount of salt may make multiple sclerosis symptoms worse, a new study has found.

Researchers at the Raul Carrea Institute for Neurological Research in Argentina took blood and urine samples from 70 people with the relapsing-remitting form of MS to check for salt levels. The participants provided samples three times over a nine month period then were tracked for two years between 2010 and 2012.

A second group of 52 MS patients also provided samples between June and July of 2013.

The salt intake averaged just over 4 g per day, but ranged from under 2 g, considered low, to more than 4.8 g, which is high.

Compared with those consuming the least amount of salt every day, those who took in moderate to high amounts of salt were almost four times as likely to experience worsening MS symptoms, the researchers said.

The study has been published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry.